Trump says his Dana White press secretary idea was just for fun
The President reversed his announcement from Saturday after a weekend of major personnel changes following the midterm elections.
By Takeshi Faure ·
President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that his offer to make UFC CEO Dana White the next White House press secretary was "just a little fun." The President clarified his position after the announcement sparked widespread attention on social media over the past two days.
The shift in administration leadership followed a series of major defeats for Republican candidates in the midterm elections held on Tuesday. Those results caused the GOP to lose control of both chambers of Congress. Democratic candidates secured historic wins in districts that had voted for Republicans for decades.
On Friday, Trump replaced Susie Wiles, the previous chief of staff, with longtime aide Stephen Miller. Miller is known for designing the administration’s strict immigration policies. Two days later, on Saturday, the President posted that he had extended the press secretary offer to White, a close friend.
The White House does not currently have a press secretary. Katie Zacharia held the position for five days before leaving the role. She departed after struggling during a briefing at the lectern and in subsequent interviews.
Trump spoke to the media in Florida before returning to Washington. He noted that White is a "very capable guy" who seems to enjoy the idea of the role. White is scheduled to visit the President at the White House on Monday to discuss the upcoming schedule.
